Sweet as Honey
by poppyfrost123
Summary: Honeyfall is a GustClan warrior. Toms have betrayed her; left her in the dust. All she wants is a tom to take care of her and a family to cherish. What will happen when a handsome rouge appears, tempting her to leave her Clan and her family? Tragedy strikes and Honeyfall is forced to make a decision. There is only one right choice.
1. Chapter 1

_"__Ha! Honeypaw is such a goody-two paws!" _

_Honeypaw's ears burned. "Shut up, Cragpaw," she snapped. _

_"__Cragpaw," his mentor, Barkwhisker warned. _

_Cragpaw just shrugged good-humoredly. Honeypaw wanted to sink into the training floor. The gorse clearing wasn't big enough for Cragpaw's ego, and he wouldn't stop boasting about himself. If only Honeypaw had the courage to tell him that he wasn't as great as he thought he was. _

_"__Come on, let's go do battle practice," Honeypaw's mentor, Featherfur meowed, looking with disdain at the cocky apprentice. _

_Cragpaw bounded to the center with his chest puffed up._

_"__Hey, goody-two paws! I bet I can beat you!" he called._

_Honeypaw gritted her teeth and trotted up to meet him. She couldn't understand why he was so in love with himself, he wasn't even good at battle moves, and his nose was to weak for hunting. _

_"__Try me," she hissed under her breath. _

_Featherfur heard her and looked at her with amusement. _

_"__All right, apprentices. Today just practice a mock battle," Barkwhisker muttered. _

_Crouching, Honeypaw mentally ran through the moves she had learned. There was a half barrel, leap-and-hold, half turn belly rake… _

_Looking up at Cragpaw, she could see that he looked totally confident. _

_"__Come at me, you goody-two paws," he taunted. _

Honeyfall recalled Cragfur's cruel gibe. Apprentice days were a long time ago. If he could see her now…

An enemy warrior was sitting in front of her. Instead of feeling anger, like she should, she just felt love. Dull love. She'd met Inkshadow when they were mere apprentices. Inkpaw had been a misunderstood cat, she'd met him after he was being bullied by other apprentices. She had felt the same way after being teased by Cragpaw, and they talked it out.

"Ferretstar made me deputy," he mewed softly to her.

"That's amazing!" she exclaimed.

Maybe their love dimmed out a bit. Each cat felt too guilty to stop the meetings, each fearing the other cat's reaction. All of the toms in GustClan were either taken, or duds. Inkshadow wasn't her first fling from another Clan. Flings kept her busy. A cat from GustClan had tried to maintain a relationship, but he had failed. Cloudfrost had cheated on her, with Flowerwish, an IceClan she-cat, and Rivershine, a DarkClan she-cat. Who knows how many other she-cats he had met with behind her back?

"We should stop."

Honeyfall looked with surprise at Inkshadow. An emotion kin to relief filled her eyes.

"Okay," she responded, with satisfaction.

She'd been wanting to actually settle down, not just have a fling that would trade her in a heartbeat for a prettier she-cat. A tom that would cherish her, make her feel like she was the only she-cat in the world. She wanted to have kits, start a family.

"See you," she murmured fondly to the black tom.

He touched her nose and slunk into the shadows. They had ended every meeting like this, it would be a shame to not keep the custom on their last one.

"Bye," the darkness whispered.

Walking home in the dark, she felt a stab of loneliness. However much she hated to admit it, she needed a tom.

A familiar scent stopped her.

_Dog!_

Maybe it would only be a small yappy dog. The kind that doesn't know when to shut up. The kind that thinks it's the biggest dog in the world and can take on anything.

Expecting a small gristly dog with short brown fur to come out, she was off guard to see a huge black dog appear. It had a nub tail and short, laid-back ears.

With surprise in its eyes, it spotted the yellow she-cat and lunged at her.

With a yelp, she automatically ran from the dog. If it was a small, or even medium sized dog, she would turn and fight, but this dog was _huge. _Avoiding the DarkClan border, she retreated towards home, trying to avoid the gorse bushes in her path. Branches sticking out threatened to poke her and slow her down, but she was determined to keep on running.

"_Stop!" _

A handsome black tom confronted the dog.

_Inkshadow?_

This tom wasn't Inkshadow. Assuming he was a rouge, she admired his battle skills.

With a hiss, he sent the dog on its way, with its tail between its legs.

"Thank you so much…" she gushed.

He nodded warmly at her. "No problem."

"Wh-what's your name," she stammered.

"I'm Thomas."

"That's an unusual name," she blurted.

"My mother was a kittypet," he explained.

Honeyfall nodded. He looked at her like she was the only she-cat in the world.

"What's your name?" Thomas asked her.

"I'm Honeyfall," she murmured.

"That's a beautiful name," he responded, looking warmly into her eyes.

She almost melted. His eyes were a warm shade of blue, she could get lost in them forever. He had a small tip of his ear torn of and a white toe. His pelt was darker than Silverpelt and shined in the moonlight. She felt herself inching closer to him. He put his tail over her shoulders and licked her ear.

"Where are you from, Honeyfall?" he purred.

"I'm from GustClan," she mewed hesitantly. She knew rouges didn't take well to Clan cats.

Like she assumed, he tensed up a bit.

"GustClan, you say?"

Nodding, she looked into his blue eyes that looked like a shimmering blue pond.

"I'd like to see you again," he murmured, "How about tomorrow night, at moonrise?"

Nodding with a guilty feeling in her heart, she licked his cheek and headed towards home. Running with the wind in her pelt, she wished tomorrow was today.


	2. Chapter 2

_She was lost in his eyes. _His beautiful, beautiful eyes. His eyes sparkled like crystal waters rippling because of the breeze. His fur, oh, his sleek black fur. He had an athletic build. If only he was a GustClan warrior. He would make an excellent warrior, he was strong and brave. After all, he had saved her from that dog, and he didn't even know her.

"Have I ever told you 'you're beautiful?" Thomas murmured.

Honeyfall purred in response. She wanted to be with him forever. She had never felt this way about a tom. Her mother would never even look at her the same if she found out that Honeyfall had met with so many forbidden toms.

Cloverpelt, the deputy for that matter, was strict on rules. She had probably never broken the warrior code in her life. Punishments and discipline were on point, too. Honeyfall remembered many times as a kit that she had been punished for breaking small, simple rules. With a glimmer of shock, she wondered if that was why she enjoyed meeting with forbidden toms.

Looking back at the handsome tom in front of her, she wanted to run away. Away from the rules, the traditions, not to mention the toms. She would be happy with him. They could live in the abandoned territory. She wouldn't be too far from her friends and family.

The moonlight looked good on his pelt.

"Honeyfall, I love you so much," he murmured.

Looking at him, she knew she loved him, but was it enough to abandon her Clan?

* * *

Walking towards camp, she rolled in some bracken to disguise the rouge scent.

"Honeyfall? Why in StarClan are you out at this hour?" A voice called out.

With horror, she tried to plaster on an innocent look, hoping that it would look like she had just been hunting.

"Hi, Cloverpelt," she greeted her mother.

"Honeyfall, I raised you better than this. You should always alert some cat if you leave camp!" Cloverpelt scolded her.

Honeyfall tried desperately not to roll her eyes. That would probably earn her a free path to checking the elders for ticks.

"Sorry, Cloverpelt," she began, "I guess I just wanted the elders to wake up with fresh food."

"Yeah, right," she scoffed, "Because you've always cared about the elders."

Burning ager and frustration scorched through her. One of the elders had been her mentor, for StarClan's sake! Of course she would care about them! There was no way she could convince her mother to see reason.

"Actually, Mother, if you remember, Featherfur was my mentor. She taught me so much, so many _rules, _and I'm just so grateful to her," Honeyfall offered.

"Watch your tone," Cloverpelt snapped and walked back to camp.

Apparently the deputy wasn't impressed on the mention of her favorite thing: rules.

_Now I have to actually find some fresh-kill, _Honeyfall thought.

She was so tired, she couldn't imagine finding fresh-kill, not to mention she wouldn't get a lick of sleep once she got back.

Chasing down a rather scrawny rabbit, she tiredly killed it, it was a messy kill, and slowly walked back to camp. The sun was almost rising, and with her luck, she would get placed on the infamous dawn patrol. Cloverpelt would put her on the patrol because of her "tone" and the fighting cycle would continue. Honeyfall needed Thomas more than ever. He _would _take care of her. Wouldn't he?

"Honeyfall!"

With a jump, Honeyfall recognized the voice of Leafdrop. The pretty tabby she-cat was trotting towards her.

"Cloverpelt was looking for you," Leafdrop meowed to her nervously.

"Ugh, could you tell her I'm out hunting? I literally cannot take her right now," Honeyfall moaned.

"Sure, but I won't get the ear clawing for you," her friend replied.

Nodding, Honeyfall swerved towards the warrior's den, she was almost asleep on her paws.

_Oh please, oh please, don't let Cloverpelt catch me. I can't believe she'll be leader after Briarstar dies. StarClan, please grant Briarstar nine more lives._

Nonchalantly looking around, Honeyfall spotted no cats and quickly curled up in her nest.

* * *

_Honeypaw and Cragpaw were lined up by their leader. Their mentors had just finished talking to Sandstar. The deputy, Briarfall, was reassuring the two apprentices. Featherfur and Barkwhisker came out of the den. Honeypaw held her breath. _

_"__You passed!" Featherfur exclaimed. _

_Excitement surged through Honeypaw's body._

_"__I know what Honeypaw's warrior name will be," Cragpaw snootily announced, "Honeygoody-two-paws."_

_"__That's ridiculous," Honeypaw scoffed. _

_Cragpaw snorted. "It suits you."_

_"__Cragpaw, you need to get a life! I'm tired of you prancing around like you're something special!" Honeypaw hissed under her breath, where the annoying tom wouldn't hear her. _

_"__I'm not surprised _I _passed," he boasted. _

_"__I am," Honeypaw mewed, rolling her eyes. She couldn't take it anymore. _

_"__Shut up," Cragpaw blustered. _

_"__Shut down," she shot back._

_"__Uh, uh, shut sideways," he offered. _

_She hoped that her claws would somehow stay in its sheath. _


	3. Chapter 3

_Honeypaw and Cragpaw were lined up by their leader. Their mentors had just finished talking to Sandstar. The deputy, Briarfall, was reassuring the two apprentices. Featherfur and Barkwhisker came out of the den. Honeypaw held her breath. _

_ "You passed!" Featherfur exclaimed. _

_ Excitement surged through Honeypaw's body. They would finally be warriors! _

_ "I know what Honeypaw's warrior name will be," Cragpaw snootily announced, "Honeygoody-two-paws."_

_ "That's ridiculous," Honeypaw scoffed. _

_ Cragpaw snorted. "It suits you."_

_ "Cragpaw, you need to get a life! I'm tired of you prancing around like you're something special!" Honeypaw hissed under her breath, where the annoying tom wouldn't hear her. _

_ "I'm not surprised _I _passed," he boasted. _

_ "I am," Honeypaw mewed, rolling her eyes. She couldn't take it anymore. _

_ "Shut up," Cragpaw blustered. _

_ "Shut down," she shot back._

_ "Uh, uh, shut sideways?" he offered. _

_ She hoped that her claws would somehow stay in its sheath. _

_ "Anyways," he continued, "It's always a surprise that Honeypaw did something right for a change. She's not good enough and she will never, ever be good enough."_

_ "Did any cat ask, Cragpaw?" Honeypaw rolled her eyes, trying brush it off as Barkwhisker scolded him. _

_ But the hurt remained in her, like a thorn piercing her heart, digging in deep. She headed towards her parents, excited to tell them the news. Stormblaze and Cloverpelt were whispering, their eyes dark. _

_ "What are we going to tell her?" Cloverpelt murmured, her body swaying. _

_ "She'll be a great warrior anyways," Stormblaze insisted, his eyes grim as he moved to steady her. _

_ "How can she?" Cloverpelt murmured quietly, "Not when she's cursed like this!"  
"It might not ever be revealed. I'm so sorry you had to go through this," her father soothed. _

_ "But it might!" _

_ "If anything does happen, I'll take care of it. I promise." _

_ "But-but," Cloverpelt was close to her breaking point. "It's all my fault! I''m so, so sorry!" _

_ "It'll be okay," Stormblaze pulled his mate closer and she buried her head into his chest. "I forgive you and I love you." _

_ Honeypaw felt sick. What was it that was so dreadful about her? Some secret, she knew, was either pulling her family closer or tearing them apart. _

_ Emerging from the shadows, Honeypaw whispered, "I passed." _

_ Her parents exchanged worried glances. _

_ "That's great, honey!" Cloverpelt exclaimed. "We're so proud of you!" _

_ Her voice was full of warmth, but Honeypaw knew it wasn't coming from her heart. There was some secret, and she _had _to discover it. _

The morning light was dappling on the ground and mist and dew rested on the blades of grass. Honeyfall shifted on her paws, growing impatient. Was he coming? Just as she was about to give up hope and head home, a cat bounded towards her.

"Thomas!" she purred, racing to greet him, "I was beginning to think you were ditching me!"  
"I would never do that," he meowed warmly, his voice deep and sending chills down her spine.

"What took you so long?"

"Sorry, I…" He trailed off as his gaze slide past her, his beautiful eyes full of alarm and panic. His sleek black fur bristled as his gaze transfixed behind her.

"What's wrong?" Honeyfall asked as she turned around. She froze as she saw the cause of his alarm. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Cloverpelt countered, glaring at Thomas. The rogue tom met her gaze steadily. "Honey, who is _he?_" Her voice was full of disdain.

"This is Thomas," she replied, wincing as she turned to the tom. "Thomas, this is… my mother."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Thomas meowed, plastering a forceful smile onto his face.

"Yeah, well, I can't say the same thing about you," Her mother snarled, turning her nose down. "Honeyfall, I will ask this one more time. What are you doing here?"

The ginger she-cat gulped, glancing at Thomas. He simply nodded, signaling it was okay to tell her. _But it's not. _

"I was just out for a moonlight hunt," she blurted, hating herself for lying.

"Uh huh. So why is he here?" Cloverpelt sounded unconvinced and Honeyfall couldn't blame her.

"He… was helping me hun-"

"I love your daughter," Thomas interrupted, throwing an exasperated look at Honeyfall.

"You love her?"  
"With all of my heart," he promised.

"D-do you love him?" Cloverpelt asked the ginger she-cat, turning around to face her.

"I do." Her voice sounded weak and small, much unlike the strong cat she willed herself to be.

"May-may I speak with this Thomas?" Her mother drawled out each word, throwing in a charming smile. "I'm curious to know if he's truly the cat for you." Honeyfall hesitated. "I think I have the right to speak with the cat that might be my daughter's mate," she added.

At Thomas' nod, Honeyfall gave her consent. The two cats padded off, and the ginger she-cat was left alone. Facing the sunrise, she felt a gentle breeze of peace wash over her. Surely Cloverpelt would like Thomas; who couldn't like him? Her mother would let her continue to meet with him and everything would work out.

A sharp screech interrupted her dreaming. The ginger she-cat whirled around to see her mother standing over Thomas, her claws in his chest. Blood welled at the tips and Thomas unsheathed his claws and flung her off.

"What are you doing?" Honeyfall shrieked at her mother.

"Saving you from a huge mistake!" Cloverpelt shot back, ducking underneath Thomas to slash at his belly.

The black tom was big and broad shouldered, but Cloverpelt was a GustClan cat: small and fast.

"This isn't right!" she cried as she raced over towards the two cats.

Thomas growled as she stumbled into a halt in front of this. "Stay out of this, Honeyfall. I don't want you to get hurt."  
"You're getting hurt!"

"My life is nothing compared to your's."

Cloverpelt scoffed. "Do you hear the rubbish he's meowing about? He doesn't really love you, he's using you, you stupid kit!"  
"That's not true." Thomas paused to blink at her. "I love her."  
Her mother took advantage of the distraction, leaping for his throat. The world was a blur as Honeyfall saw a flash of red and Thomas crumpling to the ground. Cloverpelt let out a cry of triumph and licked her paw clean of the blood.

"No," Honeyfall whispered, her paws collapsing beneath her. "What have you done?"  
"I have merely saved you from a mistake you would regret forever."

"I loved him," she choked, pushing her nose into his cold, bloodstained fur.

* * *

**Ahh, sorry guys. I had this sitting out for a while and I decided to write another chapter. Ugh, I'm not happy with it either. Anyhoo, thank you so much for the reviewers and support! I hope you liked this chapter! **

**A Random Warrior- Aww, thank you :). I really appreciate it. And thank you so much for your advice, I'll definitely take it. **

**Guest- Thank you! I hope you liked the chapter! **


	4. Chapter 4

_"Honeypaw!" Featherfur called. "It's time for your ceremony." _

_ The ginger she-cat bounced on her paws as her mentor led her into the clearing, where Sandstar was waiting. Cragpaw gave a sniff as she trotted next to him. _

_ "I still think Sandstar will name you Honeygoody-two-paws," he hissed under his breath to her. _

_ "Nice try, Cragpaw," Honeypaw muttered, seriously hoping Sandstar wouldn't. He wouldn't, right? _

_ "We have two apprentices that have passed their assessments," Sandstar boomed, his voice full of power and authority. _

_ "Every cat knows you stick to the warrior code like fleas on an elder," Cragpaw whispered as their leader gave the traditional speech. "Such a suck-up." _

_ "Can you shut up for even a heartbeat?"  
"Where's the fun in that?" _

_ "Featherfur, Barkwhisker, I trust you two have taught your apprentices the way of GustClan and the importance of the warrior code?" Sandstar asked. _

_ "We have," The two cats assured him. _

_ "I'm glad to hear it."  
"And, of course, your mom has made all of her rules in the warrior code? Like you would ever disobey them," Cragpaw breathed smugly. "Honeygoody-two-paws." _

_ "Shut up!" _

_ "Excuse me?" Sandstar looked down at Honeypaw. _

_ "I-I'm so, so sorry, I wasn't talking to you, it was just Cragpaw and he, he, uh…" she stammered. _

_ The GustClan leader narrowed his eyes. "It seems you need a lesson in respect, Honeypaw. I would have assumed your mother would have taught you better." _

_ The young she-cat glanced down at the crowd and saw Cloverpelt, her eyes narrowed and furious. _

She's going to be so mad.

_ Sandstar continued talking, "Maybe you need to learn some more respect by postponing your warrior ceremony and taking care of the elder's for a moon or so." _

_ Honeypaw dipped her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered. _

_ Sandstar dismissed her with a wave of his tail. "Please, go wait with the crowd. I have a ceremony to perform." With tears welling up in her eyes, Honeypaw walked with quivering legs back down to the crowd. A couple of apprentices snickered as she soundlessly sat down. "Cragpaw, you have earned you place as a warrior in GustClan. Do you swear to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" _

_ Cragpaw looked smugly down at Honeypaw as he replied, "I do." _

_ "By the powers of StarClan, I present to you your warrior name. From now on you'll be known as Cragfur. GustClan honors your strength and strategy and we welcome you as a full warrior of GustClan." _

_ "Cragfur! Cragfur!" The Clan chanted. _

_ Honeypaw tried to push her jealousy away. _

My time will come, _she reassured herself. _Cloverpelt says it's not good to be jealous.

_ Still, when the Clan crowded around Cragfur, giving their congratulations, she wished she could be a warrior with him. _

* * *

"W-what have you done?" Honeyfall cried, still not believing she was seeing her mother standing over the cat she loved, his life whispering away.

"Honey, this relationship would have never worked. _You_, you know what you need to do? You need to grow up. He _was _a rogue. It would have merely ended in your heartbreak," Cloverpelt's voice was confident.

"So you just broke my heart before he could? I loved him!"  
"It wasn't love," her mother responded, licking a paw clean. "You were infatuated with him, nothing more. It was a silly kit-crush."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. You're my daughter, I know you better than any other cat."

"I am not your daughter!" Honeyfall choked out, closing her eyes and crumpling to the ground.

"You'll see." Cloverpelt's meow had been cold, and by the swishing of hair, Honeyfall could tell that her mother had left.

"I'm so sorry that had to happen," Honeyfall breathed to Thomas' cold, empty body.

She could almost hear his reply, whispering on the wind.

"You would have been the best father," she continued, "And now, our kits will have to grow up without one."

Despite herself, she let out a small whimper. "I'm not going to be okay without you. You were the only thing I had."

_Had. Were. _

Using the past tense made everything so much more real.

_Let this be a dream. _

But it wasn't a dream. He was right in front of her, cold and _dead. _

_I won't be okay without you. _

Taking a deep breath, Honeyfall pushed herself to her paws and looked around. Thomas would need a burial. She clawed at the ground, feeling too weary to drag him off to some other place and dig a grave.

Dirt was slowly clearing out to make a hole for him. Her claws ached and she felt like they would give away, but she kept on digging. Finally, when the hole was big enough, she paused and gave one last glance at Thomas. She closed her eyes and nudged him into the grave, not wanting to see his body hit the ground.

When she opened them, he was still there, waiting for her. She darted off and nipped off a few blossoms, dropping them into the grave with him, watching them float to his pelt.

"I loved you so much," she whispered to him, "And I'm so, so, so, _so_ sorry you had to die like that. You shouldn't have died and it's all my fault. I should have been more careful sneaking away and maybe Cloverpelt wouldn't have caught me. You-you might still be here. Our kits _will _survive, just to show her that you will live on. And then, Cloverpelt will be related to half-rogues." She laughed softly. "She'll be so mad. G-goodbye, Thomas. May StarClan light your path." She took a deep breath and let the dirt fall on his beautiful pelt. More and more covered him, until she couldn't see him anymore.

"Goodbye," she repeated and settled down to sit vigil for him.

When the sunrise finally came up after a long, cold night, she shook out her legs and forced herself to walk off.

Where would she go? She couldn't go back to GustClan; Cloverpelt was the deputy!

_I'm going to make a run for it_.

She couldn't live with a murderer. That was what Cloverpelt was. For all of her insistent rule-following, Cloverpelt couldn't even take mercy on a rogue. She was a killer. She hadn't hesitated to give the deathblow. Part of Honeyfall wanted to go back and get revenge. _But, _Cloverpelt was her mother and it would break her to do that.

_I'll head that way. _

She spun around and decided to walk in that direction. Towards the mountains. Her kits couldn't be raised in the Clans, not if they wanted a shred of decency in them. They would survive.


End file.
